He got some flak when he came off the horse that day, but he is a good lad and has ridden a perfect race on him today.

The trainer keeps talking about the Scottish National but there are plenty of other races for him. He is improving all the time and people forget he is still a novice. His jumping is also improving and four miles will not be a problem for him.

He has won on the Flat, over hurdles and fences, and the ground must be drying out as he prefers it on the quick side.

[F]or all its reputation for conservatism, cricket in its history has demonstrated a remarkable capacity for innovation. What game has survived subjection to such extraordinary manipulations, having been prolonged to 10 days (in Durban 70 years ago), truncated to as few as 60 balls (in Hong Kong every year), and remained recognisable in each instance?

Nearly 30 years since his only tour of Australia, mention of Tavaré still occasions winces and groans. Despite its continental lilt, his name translates into Australian as a very British brand of obduracy, that Trevor Baileyesque quality of making every ditch a last one.

Far from marking the end of nationalism, the IPL is the ultimate triumph of that principle: a global tournament in which the same nation always wins.